The 7th Miracle
by AMW123
Summary: Last year, the Miracles causes a string of incidents that ended with the death of someone one of them cherishes. One year later, after the door is forced open by Kagami, the miracles will now have to stop the monster that they created, even if it means hurting her once more.
1. Chapter 1

"Why did you disappear right after the middle school championship game?" Kise asked throwing the basketball to Kuroko who caught it easily. He stayed silent for a moment before replying

"I'm not sure" he began "It's true that I started to question Teiko's policies because of the championship game. I felt that we lacked something"

That's not completely untrue. It is true that he did started to question Teiko's policies but this wasn't the main reason why he left. He know that the main reason he left is because he started to hate basketball. Even until now Kuroko still have that resentment towards it.

"-chi"

Kuroko looked up and saw Kise's confused glance. Apparently he has not been paying attention to the blonde for a while.

"Sorry Kise-kun, I was thinking about something else" Kuroko answered trying to make his face as blank as possible so Kise wouldn't notice and thankfully the blonde look like he doesn't noticed it.

"Anyway" Kise continued "When was the last time you saw her?"

Kuroko looked surprised and he was unable to say anything for a while

"The night before graduation" he eventually said "Do you know where she is?"

As soon as Kuroko said that, he kind of regretted it. He didn't want to know the answer.

"I don't know" Kise answered shaking his head looking a bit disturbed, a rare sight. He then notices something behind him and turned to Kuroko saying

"Kagami is a strong player" Kise said "but he's still learning and once he gets stronger, the two of you might part ways. He has a unique ability and someday he will reach the level of the Generation of Miracles and part ways with you and his team. When he does, do you think that he'll be the same person?"

Kuroko went silent until a large body bumped into him

"You bastard, why did you dissapear like that?" Kagami scolded and turned to Kise

"Hey"

...

"Where are those two?!" Riko complained "First Kuroko and now Kagami?!"

The Seirin team are now looking for not only Kuroko but also Kagami who previously said that he'll look for Kuroko and now he's missing.

"Well at least Kagami isn't invisible like Kuroko right Mitobe?" Koganei remarked nudging the quiet center who nodded in agreement "after all he-"

Koganei stopped when he noticed a lady across the street walking away.

"Beautiful" Koganei murmured, his eyes still following her. He only saw her from her sides but he can tell that she's one of the most beautiful girl he's seen in this neighbourhood. Her dark brown hair reaches her back with soft waves and parted at her left. She's slightly taller than Riko but thinner and more athletic looking. She was wearing shorts and oversized shirt along with white adidas shoes.

The girl then turned her head towards him and her eyes, Koganei can't tell the color from the distance, scanned around his team until they landed on him. She then breaks her gaze and looked at something behind him. He was about to go after her until he heard Riko's shout

"ALRIGHT! Everyone's here, let's go home!"

Riko shouted while putting Kuroko on a knee lock. Mitobe nudged him and causes Koganei to turn towards him for a moment and when he turned back, the girl was nowhere to be found

"Mitobe! Did you see that girl just now?!" Koganei looked around trying to locate the girl with no success. Koganei just shakes his head.

"Koganei!" Riko called out "Let's go"

"Coach! There was an extremely beautiful girl just now!" Koganei exclaimed "Can I-"

"BAKA!" Riko hit Koganei's head

"Ouch"

"It's late already" Riko complained rubbing her knuckles "and we have school tomorrow"

"B-b-but"

"Let's go!"

Koganei was forced to follow the others but the boys walked a bit slower wanting to hear about the girl Koganei mentioned earlier

"Is she really that pretty?" Hyuuga whispered so Riko won't hear anything

"The most beautiful I've seen in real life" Koganei sighed and add "she seemed familiar though, like I've seen her before"

"Maybe she lives nearby or attend Seirin?" Izuki supplied

"I know everyone in my housing complex and no one looked like her" Koganei replied "If she was in Seirin, we'd all know about it already. A beautiful girl like that"

Now all the boys are interested. Even Kagami and Kuroko can't help listen.

"But I really feel that I've seen her before somewhere" Koganei mused

"Hurry up! The train is almost here" Riko called out dissolving the conversation

...

After the conversation with Kuroko, Kise headed back towards his room in Kaijo's dorm. When he opened the door, Kasamatsu was sitting on his bed and looking at a framed picture on his lap.

"Senpai" Kasamatsu looked up noticing Kise's confusion as to why he's in his room.

"The others are coming" Kasamatsu said then turned back towards the picture. Kise put away his bag and approaches closer, curious to what his senpai is really engrossed in.

"This is-" Kise stared at the photograph

In the photo, Kise rested his right hand on Kuroko's shoulder while his left hand formed a victory sign. Kuroko was smiling slightly with his right hand forming a victory sign. In Kuroko's right is Kise, also doing a victory sign in his hand. Next to Kise is a redhead crossing his arms and giving a small smile to the camera and behind the him is an enormously tall purple haired boy munching on maiubo. On his left is a green haired boy with glasses frowning slightly to Kise and next to the him is a dark blue haired teen with his right hand doing a victory sign next to the glasses teen's head. On Kuroko's left is a beautiful pink haired girl smiling happily and winking at the camera.

Kise smiled at the memory that the photo hold and saw Kasamatsu's eyes trained on the pink haired girl before he looked away with a blush on his cheeks. It's no secret that Kasamatsu's fear of girls are very extreme to the point where he can't look at a girl in a photograph without blushing.

"She's very beautiful" Kasamatsu stated

Before Kise could say anything, there was knocking on his door

"Open the door!" Hayawaka's 'normal' voice can be heard followed by shouts of 'shut up' and 'you're too loud' from the boarders next door.

Kise's room turned chaotic after the three boys are in

"Alright! Next time I'll get all the rebounds!"

"You're too loud!" Kasamatsu scolded hitting him with the picture frame

"Oh what's this?" Hayakawa grabbed it from Kasamatsu's hand and stared at the picture. Moriyama walked into the room with a dejected expression followed by Kobori

"its only a practice match" Kasamatsu stated noticing Moriyama's depression state "the real match-"

"Actually that's not what he's upset about" Kobori cut in then sighed before continuing "Its because-"

"I blew it!" Moriyama threw his hands in the air and covered her face while lying down in Kise's bed "My one chance and now she'll not speak to me again!"

"What?!" Kise asked

"A beautiful girl was watching the match earlier and witnessed our crushing defeat!"

"Just a girl" Kasamatsu rolled his eyes

"She's not just a girl" Moriyama announced "She's the most beautiful girl i've seen!"

"Really? Who?" Kise asked looking interested

"She's not a student" Moriyama said, a distant expression on his face "I know the faces of all the girls in the school and i've never seen her before"

"Are you a stalker?" Kobori asked starting to get creeped out

"I even remembered her clothing" Moriyama sighed "running shorts, white adidas and hoodie with no zipper"

"Now that's just creepy" Kobori stated itching away from Moriyama

"But the best part is the way she watches the game intently while holding her video camera and occasionally sketches something on a drawing book. Even she manages to take a bite of the chocolate bread next to her" Moriyama quoted

"While she's recording us she still manages to eat and draw?" Kobori said in amazement then turned to Kasamatsu "I guess they're right about the multitasking power of women"

"What's her hair color?" Kise asked sharply startling Kasamatsu. He was even more surprised when he noticed the serious expression on the blonde's face .

"Dark brown" Moriyama answered with glee, not noticing Kise's strange expression "with soft waves and reaches the middle of her back"

Kise then breathed out a sigh of relief

"What is it Kise?" Kasamatsu asked

"Nothing, i just thought...never mind" Kise ended the conversation but he still looked a bit disturbed

"Hey, Moriyama, there's a pretty girl on this photograph, take a look! She's also extremely beautiful" all heads then turned to Hayakawa who's holding the photograph Kasamatsu saw previously

"No..." Moriyama said dejectedly "No girl can match up to her"

"Really? But this one is also very-" Hayakawa began but the photograph was snatched by Kasamatsu who put it inside Kise's drawer even though he previously take it from the wall but he figured that they don't need a distraction coming from a photograph

"Let's discuss today's match" he began trying to direct everyone's attention. He did his best to brief his teammates on the outcomes on today's match and new training plans but can't help but noticed the blond not participating as much as he usually does.

After everyone left, Kasamatsu stayed behind a little longer.

"It's only a practice match" Kasamatsu reassured then added "we can always-"

"I know senpai" Kise replied weakly looking at the ground

_It's not the match then _Kasamatsu recalled Kise's expression after his defeat today. It was different compared to this one.

"What hair color did you expect the girl to have?"

Kise looked surprised and finally looked at the older boy.

"Oh it's nothing senpai" Kise laughed sheepishly but Kasamatsu knew Kise better than he expected and figured that Kise's just trying to dismiss the topic

"Alright then" Kasamatsu clapped the younger boy's shoulder and about to leave. Before he left, Kasamatsu tried again "Kise-"

"I just thought that the girl Moriyama senpai mentioned was someone I know back then"

Surprised at the revelation, Kasamatsu was about to say something but decided against it. He wanted to press further but Kise's expression makes him think otherwise.

"Alright then" Kasamatsu said which Kise translated as _next time_

After Kasamatsu shut the door, Kise grabbed his phone and scan through his contacts list before it landed on the name 'Akashicchi'

He clicked on the name and his finger hover on the call button. He was about to press it before he changes his mind and exit the call screen. He laid on his bed thinking about the earlier conversation with Kuroko

_Sports are all about winning, what could be more important?_

_That's what I thought at first but even though now I'm still trying but basketball is supposed to be something we should enjoy regardless of winning or not_

_He's hiding something _Kise recalled the conversation earlier with Kuroko

_I'm not sure, It's true that I started to question Teiko's policies because of the championship game. I felt that we lacked something_

_That's not the only reason isn't it Kurokocchi?_  
...

While walking back towards his apartment, Kagami think back the conversation between Kuroko and Kise earlier. He didn't only overheard the last part about him but also the part where Kise mentioned that specific someone.

_Wh__o is 'she'__ that they're referring to?_

Kuroko's expression changes when Kise mentioned her. Kuroko rarely shows what he's thinking of so Kagami figured that whoever this person is, she must be someone important to Kuroko.

_W__as it an ex-girlfriend?_ _No, Kuroko's not the type of guy who dated _Kagami conclude recalling his invisibility _girls won't notice him even if he's next to her _

Kagami finally reaches his apartment and lay down on the couch. He contemplate on taking a shower and eating but finally he took out his phone and texted someone.

_**Tonight?**_

He waited a couple of seconds before the phone beeped and receives a reply

_**10.00, don**__**'t be late**_

He looked at the clock in the wall which shows 9.46, quickly he headed inside the room and change.

...

Kagami ran through the alley past a couple of sinister looking men. He try not to make eye contact with them, that's the most important rule in places like this. This place is one of the most dangerous area in Tokyo and normally high school students stayed away from places like this but he's already used to places like this, even back in US.

He usually changes his uniform into his casual clothes and never carried a bag in here. There are many yakuzas in the area they won't hestitate to attack and rob those with uniforms and belongings.

_Shit I__'m late_

He checked his watch that shows 10.17 unaware that in a small building in front of him a girl was looking out the window while munching on a chocolate bread and looking at his running form approaching towards the building she's currently at.

_He's late_

After he dissapeared into the building, she quickly finished her chocolate bread, dusted her hands, walked towards a table and pulled out a photograph from the drawer.

The photograph is an old picture of the Teiko Basketball team where the six members Generation of Miracles and a pink haired girl in the middle were smiling happily after a match. Their first victory as a team.

She took a marker from a pencil holder, opened its cap and draw an X on the face of the blonde. Then she touches the pink haired's picture that already has an X drawn on her face. She removed her hand and circled the green head's face.

She then put the photograph back in the drawer, turned off the lights and head out of the room.


	2. Shutoko match

"Owww"

Even though Kagami is already used to training everyday at night, today the soreness is the worst he's ever experienced

_S__he's really trying to kill me_he winced, recalling all the high jumps he did last night

_**"High jump, that's your main ability. Its about time I reveale**__**d**__** it to you. If only I **__**had **__**trained you sooner"**_

_T__oo bad she didn't__ K_agami can't help imagine how much he's grown just in two months under her guidance

His thoughts are interrupted by his phone ringing

"Hello?"

"Hey Taiga! Miss me?" a voice in english replied

"ALEX!"

"I'll be going to Japan three weeks from now so can I stay in your apartment for 3 months?"

"HAAA?! No! Stay somewhere else! People are gonna talk if they found out i'm staying with a lady who's not my mother or sister!"

"No they won't, everyone does that in America"

"THIS IS NOT AMERICA!" Kagami shouted

"Alright sheesh, Japanese and their traditions"

"Besides didn't you have an apartment here?" Kagami asked

"Right! Forgot about that" Kagami has a sudden urge to throw something to his on and off coach "Someone is currently occupying it though but I think she'll let me crash. It's mine after all, so how's basket?"

"Its improving a lot, especially during these two months. I can see why you recommend her but..."

"What?"

"How come no one has heard of her yet?" Kagami asked "Based on her skills, she's on a different level and-"

"I know I know" Alex sighed "You'll know it soon but not now"

...

"They're better this year" Riko noted as the entire Seirin team is watching the match between Shutoko and Kinka

"So this is the Generation of Miracles' number one shooter" Kagami watches in amzement everytime Midorima makes his shot. He also didn't fail to notice everytime after Midorima shoots and the ball went inside the ring, he looked at Kuroko. Kuroko in turn also returns his gaze.

Both miracles are intent to prove something to the other that neither was aware of the girl standing in Seirin's right and directly above Shutoko's basket. Her face is covered with her camera which is used to take pictures and record the match. She lowered her camera when she saw the Midorima staring at Kuroko and vice versa revealing her pink eyes.

The match has already ended but she still stayed to spectate the scene with an anxious expression in her face. Unaware that someone in the court notices her.

"Beautiful" Takao muttered. The girl has a distressed expression on her face making her seem more attractive for Takao. He always liked the damsel in distress type.

"Let's go Takao" Midorima called him out for the team bow.

"Yeah" Takao only glanced at Midorima for a few seconds but when he looked back, the girl is nowhere to be seen.

...

"I know him" Kuroko stated

"Huh?"

Both him and Kagami are currently watching a DVD of Seiho's match.

"I played against him in middle school. We just started but he manages to stop Kise kun" Kuroko elaborate surprising Kagami.

_Back then, we're haven't changed_

_Flashbacks_

"_Twenty four seconds overtime" the referee announced_

"_What?" Kise look at the referree pleadingly_

"_Kise! You keep the ball too long you idiot!" Aomine complained_

"_Sorry" Kise apologized_

"_Kise chin, give me a break" Murasakibara said with his lazy tone_

"_This is why you aren't any good" Midorima stated_

"_Kise kun, please pass the ball" Kuroko adviced_

"_Kurokocchi even you're mad" Kise said dejectedly_

"_Kise, you're the only one 20 points under your norm" Akashi berate_

"_Sorry but Kurokocchi" Kise began _

"_Kuroko's different" Akashi countered_

"_Teiko, time out" the referee called out_

"_Who ordered the time out?" Akashi asked. His teammates looked alarmed at his expression that they know very well says 'only I have the power to call a time out'_

"_I did" the six boys turned to the only person that dared to go against Akashi_

"_Momoi" Akashi reprimanded but Momoi shot him a look towards Kise's direction. If others did this, especially someone not among the basketball team, that person would already run five miles away after seeing Akashi's expression but when it comes to Momoi it was a different case. _

_He sighed and motioned motioned the team towards them. The six players gathered forming a circle among the pinkette who's sitting cross legged on the floor._

"_Kise's still new guys" Momoi reminded everyone "and besides, Tsugawa is quite famous for defending"_

"_Who?" Aomine asked_

"_The guy marking Kise" Momoi cheerfully replied and turned to Kise who looked a bit upset at everyone berating him "He's a strong defender, you'll practice with Midorima in defense after this match. You're not experienced with his style of playing"_

"_Satsuki, you spoil him too much" Midorima stated _

"_You think I didn't spoil you as well?" Momoi challenged giving him a smirk causing the shooter to blush and look away_

"_Midorimachin is jealous" Murasakibara teased childishly while eating a maiubo_

"_I'm simply not" Midorima glared at him and grabbed the maiubo from the giant's hand "We're in a match, you'll puke"_

"_Give me back my maiubo!" Murasakibara threatened standing up towering Midorima_

"_Hey! Guys" Momoi said getting between Murasakibara and Midorima trying to force the former into sitting_

"_So this is how Teiko spend their time out" everyone head turns and saw Tsugawa listening in_

"_Hey, go to your team!" Aomine barked_

"_No, it's fun here" Tsugawa announced moving closer towards Momoi who manages to push Murasakibara back into the bench after promising to buy him one more box after the match much to the displeasure of Midorima. But she made the center promised to eat it after the match ended to compensate Midorima's annoyance._

"_Because of you, I get yelled at" Kise accused looking angry which is rare for him to the bald player_

"_That's great, I love seeing people upset" Tsugawa replied _

"_Who is this guy? Will someone change marks with me?" Kise complained_

"_It's fine, you can handle him" Momoi told him "Just get used to him, he isn't all that great now that I see him up close"_

_Akashi know that Momoi said the last part to build confidence within Kise. After all, the more Kise thinks the player has greater skills than him, the harder it is for him to create a copy of it._

"_Is that what you think of me?" Tsugawa sling one arm around her neck. Completely oblivious from the glares he receives from the six players "After your team lost, how about a date with me?"_

_Little did Tsugawa knows that after his offer, Teiko played more fierce than ever. Aomine manages to break the hoop of the rivaling team twice, Kise copied not only Tsugawa's but the entire moves of the rivalling team and apply it with more power, Murasakibara didn't let a single shot got through the court and even played offense six times in each quarter which is rare for him against a team of this calibre, Midorima who usually rely on getting the ball through his teammate's passing now occasionally steal the ball and shot his infamous three pointers, Akashi causes the entire members of the rivalling team to fall at the same time using ankle break and Kuroko see to it that the longest time recorded for a member of the rival team to hold the ball is five seconds before he stole it. _

"_They destroyed them" Momoi gaped looking at the entire members of the rivalling team on the floor currently looking at Akashi passing the ball to Aomine who shot it easily with one hand not even looking at the ball that going inside the ring without touching the metal part at all._

_Everyone in Teiko knows how protective the miracles are when it comes to Momoi._

_End flashback_

Kuroko smiled at the memory of his Teiko days. He miss the days where the required twenty points used to be a high target but now it was easily achieved for them with the exception of him.

Usually, after a match, they would go to an arcade where Kise and Momoi would play dance dance revolution, Aomine, Midorima and him would play shooting games while Murasakibara and Akashi would watch in the sidelines.

Aomine would usually win at this game and the prize of food is usually given to Murasakibara. Even though Kagami is his light now but Kuroko can't deny how his and Kagami's friendship couldn't be compared to the one he had with Aomine.

He also remembered how evenly matched Kise and Momoi is and the smile she would always give him every time she caught him looking at her and her laughter when she's with the six of them but now, these things won't happen anymore.

Back then, recalling this even makes him happy but now it makes him sad

_Now we can't do these anymore, because-_

...

_-she left_

Midorima also recalled the same event. This memory belong to one of the many good memories of their time in Teiko but was outweighed by their change. He also remembered that after that particular match, Momoi was shouting at them for being too cruel to the rival team.

He sometimes wondered whether the others remembered and hoped that they could do this again next time but after recalling the rift between the six of them and after Momoi left, the chances are pretty low.

...

"Amazing" Kagami unconsciously said when he saw Kuroko's passing. He know Kuroko's passes are amazing but it was completely a different feel when he saw it from the bench.

"Now you noticed" Riko smiled "he's always like this"

After the match ended and both teams bow, Tsugawa approaches Kuroko

"By the way, can I have her name? I didn't get a chance to ask for it last time we met" Tsugawa said

Kuroko looked surprised at Tsugawa's request surprising Kagami who knows how rare it is for the bluenette to show any expression on his face

"You remembered?"

"A beautiful girl like her is very unforgettable" Tsugawa commented

"Kuroko!" Hyuuga called out

"Sorry, but I should be going" Kuroko excused himself. He's happy to get the chance to avoid the question

"Who's he talking about?" Kagami asked when they're on their way towards Hyuuga

Kuroko hestitated before answering "The manager of Teiko's basketball team"

"Really? Is she really that pretty?"

Before Kuroko could answer, they already reached Hyuuga

"We're up against Shutoko next"

...

"The balance is broken!" Kise exclaimed "Shutoko is in control of the match"

Kuroko hold the basketball, spin his body and throw it horizontally towards Kagami who does a dunk.

"Kuroko" Midorima angrily looked at his former teammate.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you take the first quarter that easily"

Everyone in the audience looked surprised including Seirin, Kise and Kasamatsu with the exception of someone in the audience.

_He did it _

The girl is sitting two rows behind Kise, spectating the match and drawing some strategies on her drawing book. After she finished, she put the title on top.

**Shutoko vs Seirin**

**In favor of Shutoko**

She put her drawing book back into her bag and take out a photo. She grabbed a red marker and draw an X on Midorima's face.

_This match is already determined from the start._

Her marker hover on the picture of a boy with really tan skin and dark blue hair for a few seconds before she put the cap on and place the marker and picture back inside her backpack

_They're not ready for him yet _the girl thought looking at both Kagami and Kuroko _They're both not ready for him yet. One isn't physically while the other isn't mentally ready_


	3. Aftermath of Shutoko

The match won in favor of Seirin. After both teams bow to each other, Midorima head out in the rain trying to be alone for a few moments.

Kuroko's new technique certainly surprised him because the technique is very unorthodox and it reminded him of someone who usually comes up with techniques like that. He even remembered what she said to all of them.

_In the future, I'll make sure all of you tasted defeat for all the pains and sufferings you caused_

Suddenly his cell phone is ringing. He reaches into his pocket, pulled out a green cell phone and saw the caller id

**Aomine Daiki**

He's not in the mood to talk right now after his defeat but during the match today, Kuroko's new technique sparked a curiosity in him resulting in something he needed to confirm with Aomine.

"Yes?" Midorima asked, he rarely said 'hello' when answering calls but the tone on his voice today is more sharp than usual

"Heh, so you've lost" Midorima could feel the arrogance on aomine's voice

"You should be careful in the championship league" he lowered his voice so Takao couldn't hear what he's saying

"What are you saying, gross, the only one who can defeat me is me" Aomine stated. Before he hangs up, Midorima asked

"Do you know where she is?"

There was silence at the other line before he replied

"The last meeting we had with her was the last time I saw her" Aomine replied then hang up

...

"Finally we're leaving!" Miyaji said impatiently. The three of them spent half an hour waiting for Midorima and Takao until Otsubo receives a text from Takao asking them to not wait for them

"I'm starving, let's find a restaurant" kimura stated. They're now still in the tournament hall trying to find the exit.

"This building got bigger than last year" miyaji commented looking up at the ceiling unaware of the people nearby

"Hey Miyaji! Watch where-" otsubo warned but it was too late. Miyaji collided with a girl causing her bag to spill all of its content on the floor

"Sorry" Miyaji helped picked up the stuff scattering on the floor. The girl gave no indication of hearing him and just busied herself with placing her belongings back into her backpack. Miyaji can't see her face well as her wavy dark brown hair forms a curtain around her head.

There are soo many items scattered on the floor so Otsubo and Kimura also helped picking up a few things near their legs. Otsubo expected things such as powder, lipsticks and other girly trinkets but instead he found himself picking up crumpled pieces of papers, some CDs, and a sketch book. The book is opened on the floor showing him its content.

Otsubo normally didn't like to look at other people's belongings but the page on the sketch book prompted him to picked it up and looked at it further.

_T__his is_

The diagram seems to be like a strategy of some sort but unlike other strategies that otsubo usually sees, this strategy is rather unique and its the first time he saw something like this. The position of the players is labelled but what caught Otsubo's attention the most is the headline that said '**Shutoko vs Seirin**' with the sentence below the title, '**in favor of Shutoko.**'

Just as he was still staring at the page, the sketch book quickly got snatched away from his grasp

"Sorry" the girl muttered keeping her head down in a way that she didn't want anyone to see her face. She then turned so her back is facing them, stand up, smoothed her skirt and ran towards the exit.

"That was weird" Kimura commented

"Isn't it?" Miyaji second this

"What is?" Otsubo asked. He did agree that the sketch book was weird but he didn't

think that both Kimura and Miyaji saw that just now

"She has a list of the team match up" kimura stated

"Every team manager gets that list, she could be a manager for a team" otsubo stated

"Its different" Kimura commented "I didn't see the whole thing but there was a section where Kirin and Senshi are supposed to have a match three days from now but her paper already shows that Kirin is the winner. This also occurs for three other matches"

"Those are probably predictions" Miyaji commented "If i were her, i'd bet on Senshi though. Kirin is still weak on their offense. Also, she have datas of different school"

"What?" Kimura asked

"Well, her notebook fell so i accidentally saw it but then she made statistics of different player one of the page shows a data of Hyuuga Junpei, Seirin's shooting guard"

"What information are shown there?" Otsubo asked

"I'm not sure" Miyaji said "She snatched it before i could read anything but i did see two pictures lying on the floor before she snatched them as well"

"What picture?" Otsubo asked

"The first was a picture of two girls" Miyaji said recalling the picture "Obviously sisters, they have the pink color in their eyes but the older one have dark brown hair while the younger one has pink hair."

"Do you think it's a childhood picture of her?" Kimura asked

"Could be, I kind of saw her eyes for a while and it's the same eye color with the two girls in the picture" Miyaji nodded and add "She's also very beautiful, i think i've seen her somewhere before...in a magazine maybe?"

"Basketball monthly?" Kimura suggested "That's the only thing you read anyway. How beautiful is she?"

"Almost as beautiful as Miyu-Miyu or even more" Miyaji sighed "Kind of like a classic type of look."

"What's in the second picture?" Otsubo asked

"Not too sure" Miyaji tried to remember "It was further from me but it seems like a picture of a basketball team"

"So she is a manager after all!" Kimura concluded

"I'm not too sure about that" Otsubo said recalling the strategy on the sketch book. A regular coach couldn't come up with something like that much less a manager.

He has observed different kinds of strategies and play styles from not only high school teams around tokyo but also matches in US but he never saw a strategy like that before. It wasn't even similar to any strategy he knew. He needed to ask someone about it.

"Let's go"

Otsubo announced while walking back into the locker room in the tournament hall surprising both Miyaji and Kimura who are both still discussing the girl's appearance

"Aren't we going to eat?" Miyaji asked

"We're getting coach to come with us" Otsubo said while walking with Kimura and Miyaji trailing after him

"Why?" miyaji asked, it's not like otsubo to invite their coach to eat with them unless it

involves something important

"I need to ask him something" Otsubo answered and before both Kimura and Miyaji said anything, he added "you'll know what it is"

If she is a manager like what Miyaji said she is, Otsubo then hoped that they wouldn't be facing her team next time after all, despite only looking at the strategy for a short period of time, he can't help but think that had Shutoko uses that strategy, they will definitely win against Seirin.

...

"That table is ridiculous!" Hyuuga exclaimed

"Isn't this exciting!" Riko gleefully look at the four players in one table in ecstasy

"Shall we order something?" Kuroko break the silence "I'm hungry"

"I'm pretty full so I'm fine with what we have" Kise said

"I'm surprised you could eat something that looked like vomit" Midorima criticised

"Why would you say that?!" Kise bite back

"Could we get pork ball, octopus ball and kimchi ball?" Kagami ordered

"You're ordering too much!" Midorima berate

"What sort of incantation is that?" Kise followed suit

"It's all right" Kuroko assure "Kagami will eat all of it"

"Is he even human?"

After their food arrived, Kise tried to comfort the still sulking Midorima

"I know losing sucks but come on, yesterday's enemies are today's friends"

"I just lost to him" Midorima complained "If anything, I have no problem with you sitting with them"

"Well" Kise answered "I'll get my revenge at inter-high"

He turned to Kuroko and Kagami

"I won't lose next time"

"Bring it on" Kagami challenged

Midorima stared at him for a second before saying

"Kise, you've changed a little"

"Really?"

"Your eyes, they're strange"

"Strange?" Kise panicked and noticed Midorima seemed to still be in a bad mood, he unconsciously said

"When it comes to you, only Momoicchi can do it"

Both Midorima and Kuroko stiffened at the statement. Kise realized what he said and looked a bit guilty all of a sudden

"Sorry"

"Who's Momoi?" Kagami asked

"Nobody"

"Someone"

"You don't know her"

Midorima, Kuroko and Kise said at the same time respectively

"Doesn't sound like a nobody" Kagami said "Is she one of you miracles?"

The three went silent afterwards making Kagami wonder whether he touch a sensitive topic. Even Kuroko looked a bit sad.

"Errr" Kagami started trying to find another topic but it was unrequired. An okonomiyaki landed on Midorima's head resulting in the conversation left forgotten by the four.

...

After closing her apartment door, she place her bag on the couch, pulled out her cell phone and made a call to someone

"Hello" the voice on the other line answered

"If I'm not wrong, you'll be discharged three weeks from now isn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"Your grandma mentioned it to me" she answered "Their defense is weak...weaker because their center is still too busy playing hanafuda"

"It's a great game that our generations should play right now" Kiyoshi defended "besides, you did enjoy playing it last time"

"It was interesting" she admitted sitting down on a window seat overlooking a dangerous alley

"How was Seirin so far?" Kiyoshi asked

"They won against Shutoko" she answered

"That's great!" Kiyoshi exclaimed

"Don't be too happy though" she warned "they'll lose the match against Touou"

"Are you sure about that?" Kiyoshi asked "you could be wrong"

"I'm hoping I am" she replied. Before she hang up, Kiyoshi said

"I'm sorry about your sister. I just found out a week ago from grandma but it happened last year so I'm not sure whether I should-"

"It's fine" she replied, clenching her fist "I have to go now, I'll contact you later"

She hang up before Kiyoshi could say anything else. He stared at the phone in his big hands for a long time before placing it on the table next to his hospital bed. He picked up an old copy of basketball monthly and turned to the page of a spread about the Generation of Miracles.

He looked at the team photo, particularly pink haired girl's. A few metres from the hospital in a dangerous area of Tokyo that Kagami seem familiar with, the girl is also looking at the same photo but instead of a magazine, the photo is framed. She also paid special attention to the pink haired girl.

She grabbed it from the table and fling it into a wall watching the glass frame shatter and the upsite down photo lay still on the floor before exiting the apartment.


	4. Candy

In the Touou gym, Aomine, lying with his back on the floor, stared at his phone wallpaper after the conversation with Midorima.

The picture is the same one that Kise owned. Everyone in that picture has a copy of it but Aomine specifically took a digital version of it.

_K__uroko is the last to saw her_

He looked at the bluenette in the picture and scan through his contact list until it landed on the name he's looking for

**Tetsu**

He hit the call button waiting for the line to be picked up

"the number you're calling is currently busy, please try agai-"

He hit the end button and pocketed his phone. He should've expected it. Kuroko most likely wouldn't answer his call after what happened last time. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep

_Flashback_

'_Kuroko's old best friend?' Aomine thought looking at Ogiwara stretching before the game_

_**...**_

"_I'm dissapointed" Aomine taunted "I expected more challenge from a team that go all the way into the final"_

_Ogiwara sank into the ground and stared at the floor. His arms are shaking and he looked up at Aomine who's looking down at him arrogantly and the scoreboard showing 111-11 in favor of Teiko_

"_D-d-did you did it on purpose?" Ogiwara asked with a pained expression "the eleven points"_

_Aomine stared at him confirming his accusation_

"_You were toying with us all along?!" Ogiwara's voice began to crack and there are tears streaming down his eyes_

"_It's useless" Aomine said "your basketball can't defeat mine"_

"_Y-y-you're a monster" Ogiwara choked_

"_Hard work only brings you this far" Aomine retorded "No matter how hard you tried, you can't beat prodigies especially-"_

"_Aomine kun" _

_Aomine turned and saw Kuroko looking at him with a look Aomine never saw before. Ogiwara stood up, still looking dazed and distressed._

"_Ogiwara kun" Kuroko moved towards him but Ogiwara just raised his hand without looking at Kuroko_

"_Don't" Ogiwara pleaded "Please"_

_He ran out of the court. Kuroko looked up at the score board and at Aomine who tried to keep a poker face. Aomine expected the bluenette to say something but he just stared at him without saying anything with a look that Aomine can't describe. Both stayed like that until a voice interrupted it._

"_You went too far this time"_

_He turned and saw Momoi looking at him furiously_

"_Does it make you proud that you're called a monster?" Momoi said angrily_

"_Why do you care so much?" Aomine retorded "After all, with our skills becoming like this, we don't need you anymore"_

"_What?" _

"_Your sister is the more talented one after all" Aomine said "It's the same thing, you and that boy. The two of you can't beat us. In the end, both of you are just losers and-"_

"_Aomine!" Kuroko said __harshly__ stopping __him_

_Momoi ran out into the direction Ogiwara previously ran. Kuroko didn't even look at him and ran after Momoi_

_..._

"_It's suicide"_

"_How tragic, still in their teen"_

"_Did he really jump from the roof?"_

"_I heard it was a girl"_

_Aomine pushes the people in front of him making his way into the front of the crowd. There's a yellow line at the front blocking the people from going further. He stood there looking at the yellow plastic in the stretcher that contains a dead body inside. _

_He saw Akashi stood among the police who's holding a notebook and writing down something while Akashi talk. His teammates are huddled behind Akashi._

"_Akashi!" Aomine called out_

_Akashi turned to him and nodded to the policeman he talked with. Another policeman approached Aomine and led him inside the yellow line. He joined his five teammates and heard the conversation between the policeman and Akashi._

"_Does she have any family or relatives?" the policeman asked Akashi_

"_I have her older sister's phone number" Akashi answered _

"_What's going on?" Aomine asked five of his teammates. He looked around and noticed Momoi isn't with them_

"_Kise, call her" Akashi ordered quietly_

_The blonde took out his phone and dialed the number_

"_Where's Momoi?" he asked and look at his teammates. __Murasakibara__ shook his head and looked at the ground__. Midorima look up at the roof where police are currently taking pictures_

"_Hello?" Kise said softly to the person at the end of the line_

"_Let's go" Akashi said when the police finishes with him. No emotion whatsoever in his face. His teammates left with their captain leaving both Kuroko and Aomine._

"_Tetsu" Aomine saw Kuroko looked like he's about to cry any minute "You all right?"_

_Kuroko looked up at Aomine and that's when his tears started to fall. Aomine raised his hand trying to pat his head like he usually does but Kuroko moved back to avoid his hand. Kuroko didn't say anything but look at him with the same expression he did earlier when Aomine confronted Ogiwara, a look of betrayal. His eyes send the taller tanned teen a message  
_

_**This is all your fault** _

_Aomine stood there speechless while Kuroko left in the opposite direction of Akashi. He can't muster the strength to follow him and the only thing he did is look at the police van where they finally closed the door after putting the corpse inside. _

'_W__hat have I done..."_

_Flashback end_

Aomine suddenly sat up from lying down in the floor.

'I fell asleep for an hour' he looked at the time. That was the last time he talked to Kuroko. After that day, he tried to look for Kuroko but he never showed up until graduation. When he went to Kuroko's house, the neighbours told him that Kuroko moved three months ago.

By the time he found out Kuroko is in Seirin, he couldn't bring himself to go face him. He head about Kagami from Kise who also send him the redhead's picture. The blonde took it during Seirin's match against Shutoko.

'Kuroko's new light huh' Aomine stared at Kagami's picture on his cell phone. It reminds him of himself when he's younger. The same fun loving smile and competitive eyes. 'He really did replace me'

...

Kuroko picked up his ringing cell phone and stared at the screen showing

**One missed call **

**Aomine kun**

His finger hovered on the call button for a long time effectively ending his walk before he decides against it and pocketed his phone, continued to head back into his house.

...

"Coach, I need to ask you something" Otsubo said. Their coach looked up from his notebook where he usually wrote down their next training menu.

"It can't wait until tomorrow?" Nakatani, the coach of Shutoko, asked "You boys have a rough day today, you can bring it up tomorrow during training"

"Can I borrow this?" Otsubo asked holding the notebook on Nakatani's lap "I only need to use one page"

"Alright"

Otsubo began drawing the strategy he saw earlier. It was quite hard to forget a strategy like that. Before Otsubo even finishes his drawing, the coach already grabbed the book and stared at the strategy

"Wow, we would've won if we used this" Miyaji complained

"It's different than other strategies" Kimura commented

"Finish it" Nakatani ordered, he looks surprised. After Otsubo finish the strategy, Nakatani look at him seriously

"Where did you see this strategy?"

Otsubo began telling Nakatani about the encounter with the brunette with Miyaji and Kimura adding a few comments with what they discovered in her bag. Nakatani seem shaken up after Otsubo finishes.

"Coach?" Otsubo asked "Did you know who she is?"

"You said she's a brunette right?" Nakatani presses

"Yeah" Kimura said

"You kids should go home today" Nakatani sighed

"But coach-" Miyaji started

"I know who she is" Nakatani said "I'll tell you some other time"

Just as the three players about to leave

"Wait" Nakatani called out to them "Keep this between the four of us. No one from the team should know about this"

"Alright" Miyaji answered. Both Kimura and Otsubo nodded. It must be serious if the coach didn't want anyone to know about this. Otsubo planned to ask him again tomorrow.

After the three left, Nakatani took out his cell phone, dialled a number and waited until the line connect

"Hello" the voice on the other line answered

"She's back" Nakatani said

...

**No training today**

Kagami read the text message over and over again.

"We always have training before any matches" he said to no one in particular. He recall the brunette pushing him even harder on the day before the Kaijo and Shutoko match "what is she thinking?"

"Hey!" Kagami turned and saw a boy with dark blue hair and tanned skin approaching him with an arrogant smile "You're Kagami Taiga right? Play me I'll test you"

"What? Who the hell are you?" Kagami glared "I don't take kindly to guys who tell me to play with them without telling me their names"

"I'm not asking you kindly" the tanned teen retorded "If I told you to play, you play. I'll tell you my name at least. It's Aomine Daiki"

...

"Are you sure that it's not impolite if I bring something from a store?" Riko asked. In the evening, she, Hyuuga and Izuki are on the way to Kiyoshi's house.

"I'm sure they won't mind" Hyuuga assured. Both he and Izuki 'accidentally' dropped their coach's cake so they bought one from a store nearby.

'Besides, I'm sure they're really thankful that it's store bought' Hyuuga thought

"Is that the house?" Izuki pointed

"Yeah, why?" Riko asked

"That girl just exited the house"

The three saw a girl exiting the house. She's has a backpack slung on her back and carrying a lunch bag on her right hand. She didn't notice them and walked straight until a house opposite Kiyoshi's grandparents' house blocked their view of her.

"Soo pretty" Izuki murmured

Hyuuga just nodded next to him. After a while, the two of them noticed something is wrong when Riko didn't slap their head like she usually does when they ogle at a girl for too long, especially if that guy is Hyuuga.

"Riko" Hyuuga started but stopped in surprise when he saw her expression. Riko looked more dumbstruck than the two of them.

"She seems familiar" Riko whispered. Suddenly, she broke into a run towards the direction where the three last saw her.

"Oi Riko!" Hyuuga shouted while running trying to catch up with her. Izuki's running behind him. The two boys are faster than her so they reached the place faster.

"We've lost her" Hyuuga said. Riko just panted and look thoughtful.

"She came from Kiyoshi's house right?" Izuki said "We can ask his grandparents about her"

The three then head back towards Kiyoshi's house

"The garden look better than last year" Hyuuga noticed "Did they hire a gardener?"

"Whoa, the steps are cleaner" Izuki commented

After they rang the doorbell, an old lady opened the door and greeted them

"Oh, the three of you!" the old lady greeted "It's been a long time"

"Hello granny" the three greeted. Kiyoshi's grandmother insisted that they called her granny.

She ushered the three teens inside.

"This house is cleaner" Riko can't help but commented on it

"If it wasn't for Kiyoshi's friend, it wouldn't be this clean" granny responded

"Kiyoshi's friend?" Hyuuga asked

"Oh, you didn't know?" granny asked "I thought you know. She always come five times a week to clean, cook, and do some gardening. I think Kiyoshi secretly asked her to visit often to take care of me and my husband but she didn't seem to mind"

Immediately the three of them felt guilty. They were Kiyoshi's closest friends so they should've visited more often.

"Who is she?" Riko asked. Looking serious ever since they lost that brunette.

"She's-"

"Dear! Did candy already tended the garden?" they turned and saw Kiyoshi's grandfather entering the room

"What?" Izuki asked

"Oh, that's what we called her, she reminds my husband of this tv show he used to watch called candy candy because of her smile " granny said laughing then said to her husband "Yes dear! She already cooked for us as well!"

The three teens looked at the dining table where there are plates of food still steaming hot in the plate.

"Did she just left?" Izuki asked

"Yes" granny answered "You just missed her"

"What's her name?" Hyuuga asked

"Oh..." granny looked a bit confused "I seemed to have forgotten...we called her candy all the time. Forgive me. Dear! What is candy's name?"

"What are you talking about dear! It's obviously candy" grandpa grumbled.

"This old man is getting more senile every day" granny complained

"You also forgot her name!" grandpa accused

"At least I don't spend the entire day on the couch watching anime!" granny retorded

To strangers the two couple may look like they argue a lot but to those who know them it was a normal occurance. Even when sick, they both still argue.

"Aish" granny sighed "I'm trying to set Kiyoshi up with her, he needs to marry a stable woman like her. She's also pretty, they'll produce lovely children together. Anyway, let's eat. There's plenty of food for all of us"

After their visit, the three were on the way to take Riko home.

"Is it possible that she's Kiyoshi's girlfriend?" Izuki asked Hyuuga and Riko

"No way" Hyuuga grumbled, the thought of Kiyoshi dating before him is too creepy "who would want to date him?"

"I'm going to call Kiyoshi" Riko said determined "There's something about her"

After they reached her house, the three sit down on her front porch while Hyuuga dial Kiyoshi.

"Hello Hyuuga! I'm surprised you called" Kiyoshi said from the other line, they put him on speaker phone

"Don't 'hey' me, who is she?!"

"Who?"

"What are you? An owl? The girl that's been coming to your house five days a week!" Riko and Izuki sighed. Hyuuga always find tiny details to complain about Kiyoshi.

"Oh errr"

"Well?" Hyuuga demanded

"Is she your girlfriend?" Riko presses

"Is she?" Kiyoshi asked

"SHE'S ASKING YOU MORON!" Hyuuga screamed

"She is then!" Kiyoshi gleefully answered

"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Hyuuga looked like he's about to pop a vein

"Sometimes it isn't about answering questions Hyuuga"

"What?" Hyuuga asked exasperated

"Sometimes its about calling and caring about your friends. Showing them that you care so much about them" Kiyoshi answered wisely

"YOU'RE GOING OFF TOPIC!" Hyuuga yelled

"HEY! QUIET DOWN BEFORE I CALL THE COPS" an overweight middle aged lady next door watering her plants shouted, shaking her head while looking at them. She has curlers in her hair and wears an orange hawaiian dress.

"We're fine!" Riko said cheerfully and glared at Hyuuga slapping the back of his head "You go crazy when it involves Kiyoshi"

"Huh, crazy..." Izuki then started writing something in his pun book

"Fine, Kiyoshi" Hyuuga began but he saw the screen showing that the call has been disconnected

"THAT GUY! HOW DARE HE HANG UP ON HIS CAPTAIN OUT OF ALL PEOPLE! NEXT TIME, HE-"

A slipper was thrown to Hyuuga and the three turned to the lady who walked away into her house muttering "kids these days"

"Ewww, it smells" Riko covered her nose at the stinky hideous brown flip flops the lady was using

Hyuuga exhaled before wailing on top of his lungs

"KIYOSHIIIIII!"

For the second time that day, a slipper is thrown again to his head.

At night, Riko lay down on her bed with the image of the brunette still on her head.

'Why am I this curious about her?' she can't help the nagging feeling of having meet her before.

"AAARRRGGGGHHH" she groaned and buried her face into her pillow until she fell asleep. She's completely oblivious that the answer lies in the shelf above her bed where there's a framed photo of Riko at the age of eight beaming at the camera with her arms wrapped around a seven year old pink haired girl who's laughing with her head thrown back. Next to the pink haired girl is a nine year old brown haired girl with a small smile in her face and her left arm is wrapped around the pinkette's shoulder while her right arm forming a victory sign to the camera.

On the bottom part of the frame, there's a caption

**Riko + Satsuki + Mitsuki**

...

Kiyoshi has a stupid smile on his face when he watches the girl opening the containers of food she brought with her

"Is that your teammate Hyuuga screaming on the phone just now?" she asked

"Oh you can hear it?" Kiyoshi smiled "He, Izuki and Riko saw you earlier"

"Really?" she asked, surprised

"Don't worry, I didn't say anything" Kiyoshi said "But how much longer do I have to keep quiet about this?"

"I did some calculations" she answered opening the top of a thermos. She placed the soup cooked earlier inside the thermos earlier and now she's pouring it into a bowl and continued "At the end of winter cup, you can tell them even if they didn't suspect anything but I think they'll found out before it ended"

Kiyoshi nodded and look at the food placed in front of him

"Where did you get all these?" he ask in amazement

"I cooked this at granny's house. I figured you get tired of hospital food" she hands him a wooden chopstick

"Itadakimasu" Kiyoshi put a tempura on his mouth and an expression of bliss is shown on his face "Soo goood"

"I forgot to bring drinks" she rummaged her bag and the lunch bag she carried earlier

"There's a vending machine in the lobby. The one in the hall broke" Kiyoshi said slurping the miso soup "I'm in heaven"

She rolled her eyes but gave a small smile before heading out to buy the drinks

...

"There's still three more people before you" the nurse said

"It's fine, I don't mind waiting" Kasamatsu said. He's here for his regular monthly check up. He has a condition of pes planus also known as flat feet. He uses a specific insoles made by the doctor. There's nothing wrong with it but Kasamatsu is paranoid about these kinds of things so every month he'd arrange a check up with the doctor. That paranoid thoughts also led to his usage of compression socks.

He started browsing through the magazine and after he finished reading all the magazines in the reading corner, he looked around the room. There aren't many people on this section of the hospital because this wing mainly focuses on consultation and theraphy for not only legs but also arms and other parts of the body.

Behind him is a little girl with her mother busy talking to someone on the phone while a few seats away on his right is an old man with a cane, eyes glued on the tv in the wall. Kasamatsu was about to ask the nurse how long he still has to wait but his eyes landed on a girl walking in front of him towards the other side of the room

'She seemed familiar' Kasamatsu continued gazing at her trying to recall where he has seen her before and when he got a good view of her face, he remembered 'she looked like the girl in Kise's photograph!'

The girl is breathtakingly beautiful and Kasamatsu just froze in his seat watching her pressing the buttons on the vending machine.

'She's a bit different than in the photo' he recalled the photo

After picking up her drinks, she turned giving Kasamatsu a good view of her face

'She looks older now and instead of pink hair, her hair is brown and shorter' he continued gawking at her 'there's also this different aura between the two. The girl in the photograph looks cheerful, fun loving, warm, kind and happy while the girl here has a mature, cool and a little bit of sadness in her blank face'

She didn't seem to notice him and continue to head towards the lift at the left side of the room. Kasamatsu wanted to call her and ask whether she really is the girl in Kise's photo but he's very nervous around girls.

His teammates often teases him about his fear of girls and he rarely admits to it but right now he wishes that he have at least Moriyama's courage to approach a girl. He can even barely look at them without turning his head away if they made eye contact with him.

'That's it! I'm just going there and ask her about it'

He stood up and his body shaking so badly until needs to sit down again. By the time he finally could stand up with only his hands shaking, the girl already left.

'It might be a good thing that I don't even try' he thought dejectedly 'I can't even make eye contact with a normal average girl, with a girl this pretty I'll probably faint when she look at me'

He's about to reach for his phone and call Kise but the nurse called him

"The doctor is ready for you"

He decided to tell Kise later on. He's not very good at recognizing female faces anyway so he might even be wrong but he can't help the nagging feeling of telling Kise about this.

"I'll tell him later" he didn't realize that he's saying it out loud "Besides, it's probably not that important to him. He probably know where she is anyway like those miracles"

Little did Kasamatsu know that the last time his blonde kouhai talk to her is during his match in the Junior High Nationals against Meiko Junior High. Kasamatsu also didn't know that had he called Kise at that moment, the fated meeting between the miracles and her will happen at that day.

But luckily for Kise, had Kasamatsu gathered up the courage to go talk to her, she would've convinced him that he mistaken her for someone ending his suspicion and he wouldn't tell Kise about this later on.

.

.

.

Reviews pls


	5. The ace and light

After Riko left the house, Kagetora walked into his daughter's bedroom and took the framed photo on the top shelf.

'If what Nakatani said is true then...' he look at the faces of Satsuki and Mitsuki 'so this means you're still alive?'

...

"They're soo slow!" Wakamatsu complained. The four Touou starters are currently waiting in the line at a ramen restaurant

"Be patient" Imayoshi said even though he also look dubious at the endless line of people

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Sakurai shouted bowing repeatedly to the senior

"Maybe we should switch to a different restaurant" Susa suggested when Wakamatsu already started his usual shouting ritual

Imayoshi sighed and looked around. Now it's lunch hour so nearly all the restaurants are full but if they can't find a table soon, Wakamatsu would start complaining and disturb the people on the line while Sakurai would start apologizing making all of them looked like oddballs to the people waiting. He looked around the restaurant spotted what he's looking for.

Among the tables in the restaurant, there's a table for four with only one person sitting on it, a brown haired girl. She only ordered ocha and seemed to be busy drawing something on her sketch book

"Follow me" Imayoshi said to the three and head inside. The waitress in charge of keeping the line tried to block them from entering

"We're with her" Imayoshi gestured to the brown haired girl and giving the waiter his usual sly smile. The waitress looked like she's not going to let them in but Wakamatsu started getting into an argument with one of the people waiting while Sakurai started apologizing, again. She eventually gives up and let them in.

"Imayoshi, what are you doing?" Susa asked as he, Wakamatsu and Sakurai followed their captain who stopped at a table with a girl sitting alone. Imayoshi suddenly seated himself opposite the girl who looked up from her drawing activity. She looked surprised when she saw the four guys sitting in her table and quickly closes her drawing book and stuffed it inside her bag.

Susa can't help but gape when he laid his eyes on her. Imayoshi himself is also caught off guard when he saw her in this distance while Wakamatsu and Sakurai...

"I..." Wakamatsu started but he can't help but gaze at the beautiful girl

"um..." Sakurai for once forgot to apologize about something and just ogle at the girl

_She's more beautiful up close _Imayoshi noted

"Sorry we're late" Imayoshi said loud enough for the waitress who previously tried to block him then said quietly "Sorry but my junior here" he motioned to Wakamatsu who's still gawking at her "Gets more annoying when he's hungry. After all, i'm sure you've heard him at the entrance earlier so do you mind if we join you?"

Susa noted the persuasive tone on Imayoshi's voice. Three years with imayoshi taught him three things. First, Imayoshi is horrible at drawing to the point where last time he tries to draw a cute little girl, the drawing is a perfect replica of Sadako, second, he have really sharp ears, that's how he knows gossip, and third is his special tone he usually uses when he tried to get someone to do something he wanted. He's using that tone right now.

Sometimes when Imayoshi does that Susa can't help but feel tempted to do what Imayoshi wants him to do. He's that persuasive but strangely, this girl doesn't seem influenced by this. Usually, others would smile and probably said "Sure, why not?" but she instead studied them, not in a threatening way but more towards curiosity. Imayoshi himself seemed surprised.

Imayoshi started to worry that she'll say no and prepared for it but then again, it's rare for someone to be immune to his manipulation. He's going to play with her for a little while.

"Touou academy" the girl said looking at the four of them

"Oh, you must be from our school" Wakamatsu said, finally awake from his trance.

The girl didn't say anything but Imayoshi can tell that she didn't go to touou. A girl that pretty would already be known by all the boys at their school. Also, she couldn't have known they went to Touou, they're not wearing their uniforms or team jersey"

"You can sit here if you'd like" the girl said while sling her backpack over her shoulder preparing to leave but Susa stopped her.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to impose, if you're uncomfortable, we can-"

"Let you join us" Wakamatsu said elbowing Susa in the middle of his conversations effectively stopping him "there are some guys at the line just now already eyeing you earlier, and you already know us anyway"

They all turned to the line in front where Wakamatsu was proven right, which happens once in a while. Sakurai counted and there are at least nine high schoolers looking at her.

She didn't gave an answer to Wakamatsu but he's already taking her bag and motioned her to sit next to him.

"We can pretend we're on a date" Wakamatsu said giving her a playful smile. Most girls would roll their eyes at his obvious attempt but instead, she gives him an amused smile and said "Alright"

Imayoshi sat opposite her next to Susa who's sitting in front of Wakamatsu. Sakurai managed to get an extra chair and sat next to her.

"Let's order something" she said looking at the menu

A few minutes later, the Touou guys stared at their table in shock. While the four guys only ordered a bowl of ramen or two in Wakamatsu's case, this girl is currently finishing her 40th bowl. She finally slurped the broth in the bowl and placed it in the stacks of bowls.

_This girl could beat Aomine in an eating contest_ the four thought in amazement

"Aaah, that was good" she announced and just when the four boys thought that she finally finished eating, she looked at the menu and signalled the waiter.

"A large serving of all flavor ice cream" she pointed to the picture in the menu showing a large bowl filled with around eight ice cream flavor "Do you guys want anything?"

After rejecting her offer for dessert, the four Touou guys just sat there with their mouth open watching her gobble the entire ice cream serving.

"Sorry, i have a separate stomach for dessert" she smiled sheepishly after noticing their gaping faces.

"Wow" Wakamatsu commented looking at the empty bowls surrounding their table

"Even after a match we don't eat this much"

"So how did you know that we're from touou?" Imayoshi asked, he's been suspicious of her from the start and while eating the ice cream, she seem off guard making her chances of lying to be slim

"I saw your match" the girl replied and putting a large scoop of ice cream into her mouth

"One does not simply remember player's faces when they saw them once or even twice and from the spectator seat, don't you agree?" Imayoshi stated with his cunning smile

The girl leaned closer towards him giving him a smile similar to his

"It's true, one does not, so how do you think i know who you are?"

Imayoshi was stunned. He wasn't ready for the girl to turn his question back to him.

Suddenly, the four was startled by the sound of a lady screaming.

"Sorry" the girl apologized then reaches into her backpack pulling out her phone, and head into an empty corner to answer the phone

_That screaming was from a horror movie two years ago, what was the title again? _Susa remembered a horror movie two years the lady running away from the ghost and wailing on top of her lungs, it was one of the scariest movie he has ever seen. He can't sleep for three weeks after watching that movie _What kind of girl uses something like that as a ringtone?_

"Oi Sakurai! Stop gaping at her!" Wakamatsu berated the junior even though he's also doing it himself

"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!"

While those two are busy, Susa took a sip of his drink and glanced at Imayoshi. He almost spit out his drink when he saw the point guard's expression. When provoked with someone, Imayoshi tended to look at them similar to how a snake would look at its prey but in this case, the gaze was more similar to how a snake would look at an eagle

Instead of his sly smile, his expression is a bit intense and his finger is holding his glass too tightly to the point where it looked like it's going to break soon. Overall, it was a look that gives the impression of surprise, nervousness and fear. He never saw Imayoshi looked like that before.

"There's something about her that I somehow can't put my finger on" Imayoshi said

"Maybe she's right" Susa tried to assure him "She could just be a spectator to our match and remembered our faces when she saw us in the lobby maybe"

"She answered my questions calmly" imayoshi mused "She's expecting it...no, she's already used to deal with people of my calibre, if not maybe higher"

Before Susa could ask him what he meant, the girl returned to our table and picked up her backpack

"I'm sorry but i have to leave now" she announced much to the displeasure of Wakamatsu

"I'm sorry but I didn't get your name" Imayoshi inquired, his expression back into his usual smile

"I don't think you need to" she replied then add "We'll see each other soon anyway"

She slung her bag over her shoulder and was about to leave but add.

"Don't forget to pay the bill to our date" she said giving Wakamatsu a winning smile

"Oh right sure" Wakamatsu said in a trance

After she left, the waitress handed them the bill.

"WHAT IS THIS! HOW COULD ICE CREAM BE THIS EXPENSIVE!"

"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!"

The entire neighborhood including the girl could hear the two different shoutings of two very different boys. She smiled and shakes her head at first but the smile soon disappeared as she recalled the conversation earlier.

"_I__'ll be coming to __J__apan two weeks from now__" Alex said _

"_T__hat's good to hear__" she replied _

"_T__oday is __T__aiga's match isn't it?__"_

"_...Y__eah__" she said reluctantly_

"_W__ill he win?__"_

_There was silence before she replied_

"_N__o, he won't__" _

_..._

Otsubo, Kimura, Miyaji and Takao look at the match list on the lobby in the stadium.

"The Meisei vs Senshikan should go to Senshikan" Otsubo stated

"Oh look" Miyaji pointed to one of the papers showing the outcome of matches "Kirin did won against Senshi, she's correct after all"

"Who?" Takao ask

"What?" Kimura stared at the paper where Kirin won by 68-66, a small margin

"Captain, what did coach-" Miyaji started

"Later" Otsubo cut him off motioning to Takao with his head who's still asking the three who's the 'she' they're talking about.

_..._

"They're not that strong" Hyuuga remarked "Well, Aomine isn't here yet"

The scoreboard shows the score of 39-38 in Seirin's favor.

"Their captain is quite good in reading our next move" Riko observed from the bench. Imayoshi seemed to be coordinating his team's next move by talking to his teammates.

"This isn't like you" Kagami remarked

Kuroko know what he meant. The thought of playing against Aomine has been bothering him for a while lately causing him not to perform so well today. He's not ready to face him yet especially at their last meeting he...

"-roko, Kuroko!"

Kuroko looked at his right and saw Kagami looking a bit pissed at him.

"Get your head in the game!"

"Yeah" Kuroko muttered. He looked around the spectator seat and his eyes landed on someone

_Aomine_

_..._

'They set up that screen huh' Aomine observed the game from the spectator seat looking at Sakurai fooled by Kuroko and Hyuuga's combination attack. The ball then goes to Kagami who dunk and score points for the team.

Kuroko looked up at the spectators and his eyes landed on him. Both made eye contact that seem to last for a long time but it was only a fleeting moment. Still looking at Aomine, Kuroko hold his fist out to Kagami which Kagami responded by bumping it with his.

Aomine clenches the railing and looked at Kuroko in anger

'That's our signature fist bump'

Kuroko give him his usual blank face but there's a trace of mischief in his eyes that Aomine recognized as if he know that small action would leave Aomine fuming in anger. He left the spectator seat and head out trying to go inside the stadium.

In his anger, he didn't realize that on his right where he's spectating earlier, someone is putting on a sunglasses to cover her face and lowered her hair forming a curtain silently hoping that the power forward didn't notice her presence.

'500 seats in this stadium and he just have to pick this side to spectate' she silently complained. After he left, she breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily he's angry enough to not notice her presence. But she's been unlucky so far.

On her right side, Midorima and Kise are spectating the match. Five seats behind her are the Shutoko guys.

'All of them just happens to crowd around here don't they' she sighed and look at the match. After the score reaches 100-55 from Aomine's plays, she get up and decided to leave

Before she left, she take one last look at Kuroko and Aomine standing in front of each other before she went through the door.

'This match is too painful to watch and it gets more painful because he didn't want to give up' she already knows the result of the match before it happened but a part of her can't help but feel satisfied that Kuroko didn't give up despite him knowing the result as well. Just as she almost went through the door, she began to have second thoughts before she finally returned to her seat, determined to go through the match.

...

"I'll acknowledge one thing" Aomine said arrogantly "You don't give up that easily"

Kuroko panted while guarding Aomine

"I'm not going to give you the satisfaction" he replied back "this is the least I can do for Ogiwara"

Aomine froze when he heard that enabling Kuroko to steal the ball and pass it to Hyuuga who scores a three pointer. After that interaction, Aomine played the game with a glum expession and after Touou won, he left early into the locker room not even doing the bow with his team.

...

Aomine walked away from his locker room heading towards Seirin's locker room. He wanted to talk about something to Kuroko but before he went in, he heard Kagami

"Hey, this might be our limit"

Aomine stiffened. He knows the tone Kagami used. He used last time during one of his conversations with Kuroko.

"I thought we could go further but look at us"

'Don't say it' Aomine chanted in his head. He knows what Kagami will say next

"In the face of overwhelming power, I don't think we can win just by working together"

There are silence at first before he noticed Kagami exiting the door. The redhead didn't notice him and left in the opposite direction. Aomine took a peek inside the room and saw Kuroko sitting down in the bleachers looking at the locker.

He almost went in until he notices Kuroko's expression. It was the same look he had given Aomine when he first changed. Aomine took a few steps back and walked back away from the room. He know his ex light is not ready to see him right now.

...

"The number you're calling is not available, please try ano-"

"Tch" Kagami angrily presses end call and dialled the number again

...

She looked at her vibrating phone with the screen showing

**Incoming call**

**Kagami Taiga**

She just ignored it and put it inside her backpack. She spotted him from the front door in the lobby towards outside trying to call her with an angry expression in his face.

...

Kuroko stand near the walls, the best place to watch and observe people. His weak presence contributed to the activity as well. He looked at the people in the main lobby of the tournament hall.

Most are high schooler like him, probably here to support their teams and there are some parents that come to spectate their children's match. The stadium didn't mind pets so he put Nigou on the floor which the puppy is currently rubbing his body against his legs. Adjusting his bag, he readied himself to head home until something caught his eyes

The girl was on the other side of the wall walking towards the exit with her back facing him. She's holding a camera on her right hand and her backpack is slung in her back.

She's wearing a white shirt with short denim pants and white sport shoes. Something about her clothing and walk reminded him of someone.

'It can't be' Kuroko stand gazing at her walking figure. Time seemed to stand still at that moment with only the two of them in the building. He waited for her to turn her head.

As if hearing his request, she turned her head looking at the door leading to the court.

After a few seconds, she turned her head and head outside unaware of the bluenette looking at her.

Kuroko hold his breath when he saw her. He snapped back from his trance when he saw her retreating figure exited the door and unconsciously whispered her name

"Momoi"


	6. Which sister

I'm really sorry but I never get the chance to thank the reviewers and followers for this fic. A huge thank you to you guys and sorry for the lateness.

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...

Aomine clenches his fist in fury. He didn't think he'll get this worked up about kuroko. But then again, he probably did worse than that bastard who badmouted him.

'Maybe i went too far today in court' he thought recalling kuroko's expression. He partly said that out of anger mostly to kuroko for replacing him with a new partner, especially with one weaker than him.

'Even though i pushed him away first' recalling his change in teiko. A part of him kind of regretted pushing Kuroko away. Even though he's stronger now but he still longed to play with his old partner.

Someone then bumped into him distracting him away from his thought

"Hey! Watch where-" he stopped short realizing who he bumped into

'Kuroko?'

The bluenette didn't even utter an apology and notice him. He's running towards the exit with a wild expression which is unlike kuroko at all.

"oi tetsu" aomine called out but kuroko didn't seem to hear him and continued running towards the main entrance. He felt something in his legs and when he look down, he saw a puppy biting the end of his pants as if he wanted Aomine to follow him.

"What the hell? Isn't this Seirin's puppy?" Aomine picked up the puppy and broke into a run trying to catch up to the bluenette.

...

Outside the tournament hall was packed with people causing aomine to lose sight of kuroko.

"What's gotten into him?" Aomine look at Nigou when he ask this and the puppy just whimpered in response. He look around the crowd for him before giving up. "Tch, this is just like last time at the park"

Aomine could even lose track of Kuroko at an empty street and right now in a crowd of people exiting the hall, finding Kuroko is like looking for a needle in a hay stack.

"Aominecchi!"

Aomine turned and saw Kise running towards him followed by Midorima

"What's with the shades?" Aomine asked looking at Midorima's sunglasses who the latter turned his head away indigantly

"Why are you running Aominecchi?" Kise asked

"Arf" Nigou gave a cheerful bark at the two

Before Aomine could say anything, he noticed Kagami standing a few feet away from him.

"Aomine" Midorima started but the ace already sautered towards Kagami

"Hey!"

Kagami turned and saw Aomine heading towards him

"Where is he?" Aomine demanded

"Who?"

"Kuroko! Who else!"

"How should I know?" Kagami retorded even though it's not a secret that both him and Kuroko would walk home almost every day.

"Aomine"

Behind Aomine is Midorima and Kise. The three miracles all stared at him.

"What?" he asked harshly

"Did you fight with Kurokocchi?"

Kagami didn't say anything. He did say some pretty harsh things to Kuroko after the match. He's been trying to call his secret coach for eleven times already but she still didn't pick up. He really need her training right now.

"Hey!"

He turned to Aomine who called out to him

"Hold him" Aomine gave Nigou to Midorima who doesn't seem happy holding the dog.

"If you think you can defeat me on your own, you're dead wrong" Aomine said "You need Kuroko"

"Tch" Kagami gave him a sarcastic smile before he continued "actually no, team play is the reason why we lost. The only way to beat the generation of miracles is to do it alone just like your-"

Aomine punched Kagami before he finished his sentence

"Aomine" Midorima and Kise moved to restrain him. The force Aomine uses is enough to bring Kagami down to the ground. He could feel blood going out from his mouth and his cheek will definitely have a bruise tomorrow.

"You're a fool!" Aomine called out to him before Midorima and Kise manages to drag him away from the looking passerby leaving Kagami glaring at him while rubbing his cheek. Nigou, who's been left on the ground by Midorima who dropped him when trying to restrain Aomine followed the three teens leaving Kagami alone.

...

"Bakagami!" Aomine punched the wall drawing blood on his hand

Nigou whimpered

"Aominecchi! Stop that! Even Nigou doesn't want you to do it. What if you can't pla-" Kise said but Aomine cut him off

"Who cares about that?!" he bellowed

The three of them are at an empty alley

"Midorimacchi, why is he-" Kise started but again he's interrupted but this time Midorima did it

"It's Kuroko isn't it?" Midorima began "You don't want Kagami to make the same mistake you did"

Aomine glared at him but he didn't say anything which both Kise and Midorima take as a confirmation.

"I overheard Kagami outside when he's talking to Kuroko in the locker room" Aomine said bending down to pet Nigou

"You both still didn't talk to each other?" Kise asked

"How can I?" Aomine said bitterly "He blamed me for Ogiwara's death a year ago"

"Are you sure that it's not just you blaming yourself?" Midorima stated

"What?"

"Take care of the dog, if you're smart use it as an excuse to talk to him. Settle things between the two of you after all, you both used to be very compatible to the point that it becomes an annoyance" Midorima pushes his glasses up and took a few steps to leave and add

"Don't involve me in your fights next time"

...

The door opened and she entered and locking it before heading into the kitchen and grab a bottle of orange juice inside the refrigerator. She took her phone out of her backpack and saw eleven missed calls from Kagami Taiga.

She sighed and toss the phone into the couch. Suddenly there's a knock on the door. She didn't have a peephole so she can't see who's behind the door but she know the people, including some of the gangs here well enough that there is no danger if she answers the door.

She grabbed the door knob, contemplating whether or not to answer the door. Usually the gang people or yakuzas that she knew would knock nonstop, they have low patience. The person behind the door waited patiently. Sighning, she opened the door and before it fully opened, she could tell who the person is based on his eyes.

Kuroko was breathing heavily when she opened the door. His eyes looked at her as if she might dissappear if he look away for one second.

"Kuroko" she unconsciously said his name

"Momoi"

...

"He's still a tsundere huh" Kise commented on the train station with Aomine. Both are on their way to their respective school dormitory with Nigou sleeping in Aomine's arm. The puppy is tired after playing with Kise for a while.

"Some people didn't change at all I guess" Kise said

"You did though" Aomine stated

"Really? Midorimacchi also said that. It's all thanks to Kurokocchi" Kise smiled

Aomine didn't say anything and Kise notices his discomfort

"I didn't think Kurokocchi blamed you"

Aomine look at him

"That's what Midorima is also trying to say" Kise add "It seems like you're the only one blaming yourself"

"You don't know what goes on inside Tetsu's mind" Aomine protested "The guy only has one expression on his face-"

"He's a good person" Kise cut him off this time "If he's the person I thought he is, then he wouldn't blame you"

"A boy suicide" Aomine said "after what I said to him, how could it not be my fault that he killed himself?"

When Kise didn't say anything, he added

"And the witness to his suicide is now still missing" Aomine recall that night to also be the night they lost Momoi. Ever since that night, Momoi is a taboo topic among the Miracles. There are some rumours that she murdered Ogiwara but there's lack of motive and the last call he had with his parents that night after his defeat confirmed his death as a suicide.

Actually, there's something Kise desperately wanted to say to Aomine about that night but Akashi forbidden him to tell anyone about it.

_Flashback_

"_Hello" Kise said when the line connect_

"_Hello? Who is this?" a voice in english replied _

_Kise removed the phone from his ears and stared at the id in the screen._

"_Let's go" Akashi _

"_Isn't this Mitsuki's phone?" Kise asked in broken english while trailing after Akashi with Midorima and Murasakibara._

"_Mitsuki passes away two months ago" the voice replied this time in Japanese "Who is this?"_

_Kise nearly dropped his phone._

"_W-what?"_

"_Ryouta" Akashi called him. Midorima, Murasakibara and Akashi are now looking at him who stopped walking._

"_Akashicchi" Kise handed him the phone. Akashi studied him wordlessly and take the phone from his grasp._

"_Go on ahead" Akashi said to both Midorima and Murasakibara. Both nodded leaving him and Kise alone. Behind Kise, the police are loading into their vehicles._

"_Who am I speaking to?" Akashi asked in clear english_

_Kise noticed Akashi's eyes widened a bit before reverting back into his usual calm facade. _

"_Alright, thank you and my deepest condolensces for your loss"_

_Akashi hang up the phone and returned it to Kise_

"_Akashicchi, did she really die?" Kise asked looking as if he's about to cry _

"_Don't mention about this to anyone" Akashi said closing his eyes and clenching his fists_

"_Akashicchi?"_

"_No one should know about this Kise" he ordered_

'_He become someone entirely different' Kise has never seen Akashi this scary before. _

_End flashback_

"Oi Kise"

Kise look at Aomine who has been calling him for three times already.

"Don't daydream!"

"Aominecchi, actually-" Kise started

"Oh, my train's here!" Aomine picked Nigou up from the ground and ran inside the train.

"Later Kise!" He called out

"Oh, see ya!" Kise replied

'Should I tell them?' he recalled Akashi's order 'why would he wanted to keep it a secret?'

...

Momoi poured the hot tea into a cup and handed it to Kuroko who took it while looking at her silently. There was silence between them before Kuroko breaks it.

"Your hair..."

She touches the brown lock

"I dyed it brown and curled it...I wanted a change"

Kuroko studied her causing her to look away

"Where have you been all these time?"

Momoi opened a can of biscuit and handed it to him who shook his head. She took one and break it into pieces.

"I don't know where to start" she answered quietly

Kuroko stand up, looked around the small apartment and the view from her window.

"Isn't it dangerous living here?"

"I know the people well" she answered and took a sip from her cup

"Why did you leave that night?" Kuroko asked

She stiffened and grabbed the cup tightly not caring that it's hot and her hand is turning red.

"Which one?"

"The night Ogiwara died" Kuroko said softly "What happened that night?"

Momoi stared at him in surprise and after a moment of silence between the two, she stand up and went to her room. Kuroko stayed in his seat contemplating whether he should follow her or stay seated or leave and come back next time. While still debating that on his mind, she came out of her room.

She reached the table and sit down on the chair, not making eye contact with him at all while placing something on the table.

"This is" Kuroko quickly grabbed the pair of black wristbands that Momoi placed "Ogiwara's wristbands"

Kuroko trailed his fingers on the wristband and looked at Momoi with his eyes wide open in surprise

"Sit down" Momoi said "Luckily tomorrow is Saturday, it's a long story"

...

"I'm home" Riko removed her shoes and put on her house slipper

"Oh Riko chan! How was the match?" Kagetora called out

"We lost" she said dejectedly without looking at him and went to her bedroom

"Dinner!" her mother called out from the kitchen "All of them are takeouts"

"I'm not hungry" she answered before slamming the door

"Is she on a diet?" she asked her husband who shrugged in response and stared at the platter of food on the table

"More for me"

Riko fling herself into her bed. She rolled around trying to forget about today's match. She looked at her wall where there's a picture of Seirin basketball team last year. Slowly drifting off to sleep, she look the faces of Hyuuga, Izuki, Kiyoshi...

She jolted awake and suddenly sat up. Remembering something, she walked around her room and her eyes scanned her bedroom until it landed on the shelf above her bed.

"Could it be-" she reaches for all the items in the shelf and dumped them all into her bed. She picked up one item after another trying look for a specific picture.

"I'm pretty sure I have it" she murmured and finally gives up

'Did dad took it? No, why would he' she lay down in her bed and closed her eyes trying to recall the brunette she saw exiting Kiyoshi's house. She grabbed her phone and made a call

"Hello" Kiyoshi answered

"The brunette exiting your house...is her name Mitsuki?" she ask as soon as Kiyoshi answered her call

"Who's Mitsuki?" Kiyoshi asked

"Oh errr" she knows it when Kiyoshi lied and this time it didn't seem like it "You don't know a girl named Mitsuki?"

"No" he replied

"Oh! Did you know anyone named..."

"I gotta go Riko" Kiyoshi quickly said "The doctor call me, bye"

He hangs up before she could say goodbye

"He didn't know Mitsuki but I'm pretty sure that it's her" she murmured and recalled him hanging up earlier before she could ask him another question "unless...could it be Satsuki?"

Riko then opened her drawer and pulled out a few CDs before picking one labelled 'Teiko Junior High Basketball Team Year 2'

...

"Hey senpai"

Kasamatsu was dribbling the ball when he heard Kise called him. It's twelve midnight and he should be sleeping right now but he kept thinking about the girl he saw in the hospital.

"Senpai?"

He looked up and saw Kise manages to steal the ball from him and shoots the ball from the three point line.

"Oi Kise, who's the girl in the picture"

"Huh?"

"The pink haired girl in the picture of the Teiko team, who is she?" Kasamatsu blushes a bit when the image of the pink haired girl came to his mind.

"That's our coach and manager, Momoicchi" Kise replied curiously "why are you asking senpai?"

"I think I saw her yesterday in the hospital during my leg checkup, she have different HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

Kise ran out of the gym and heading towards the school gate.

"KISE!"

Kasamatsu chased the blonde and already screamed his name for five times but the blonde didn't even look back at him.

"Sorry but you're not allowed to leave the school after ten" the security guard informed Kise

"But I have a friend who's in the hospital and she-" Kasamatsu elbowed Kise stopping him

"Sorry" Kasamatsu pulled the blonde away from the main gate and dragged him towards the student dormitory

"Senpai! I have to go to the-" Kise break free from his grasp and made a run to the gate

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Kasamatsu kicked the blonde causing him to kneel on the floor "IT'S FUCKING TWELVE MIDNIGHT AND YOU WANTED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL JUST TO LOOK AT SOME GIRL WHO MIGHT NOT EVEN BE THERE?!"

"SHE'S INJURED SENPAI!" Kise wailed

"NO SHE'S NOT!" Kasamatsu shouted "SHE'S VISITING SOMEONE! SHE'S NOT WEARING PATIENT'S CLOTHING"

"D-D-Did you talk to her senpai?!" Kise grabbed the older teen's collar and leaned in close to his senpai "How are you sure that she's not injured! It could be that she's receiving treatments there!"

"NOT SOO CLOSE!" Kasamatsu pushes his head "I didn't. We can go there tomorrow, the treatment centre opens at eight anyway"

"OIII, THE TWO OF YOU! STOP YOUR LOVERS QUARREL AND GET TO BED!" one of the students opened his window and shouted to both Kasamatsu and Kise

"YOU SHUT UP! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SLEEPING RIGHT NOW!" Kasamatsu shouted back

"OOOH! HELLO KASAMATSU SENPAI!" Kobori's voice is heard next

"KASAMATSU! THIS IS YOUR CLASS PRESIDENT SPEAKING! GET TO BED OR YOU'LL RUN FIFTY LAPS TOMORROW!"

"YOU DON'T GET THE PRIVILEDGE TO GIVE THAT KIND OF PUNISHMENT! AND YOU'RE NOT THE CLASS PRESIDENT, YOU'RE ONLY THE CHESS CLUB'S PRESIDENT!"

"THIS IS THE REAL CLASS PRESIDENT SPEAKING" another voice shouted to him "GO TO BED OR...!"

"OR WHAT?!" Kasamatsu shouted throwing his hands in the air "WHAT WILL YOU DO?!"

Suddenly, a shoe is thrown at him

"WHY YOU?!" Kasamatsu clenches his fist in fury

"Err senpai" Kise pointed to the number of students right now poking their heads from the window looking at the two of them "Should we run?!"

"Real men don't run Kise" Kasamatsu said glaring at all the boys

As soon as he said that, objects are flying towards them. Kasamatsu and Kise are now running away from the building and reaches the football field.

"Real men don't run senpai?" Kise laughed removing a headband lodged itself in his arms

"Shut up!" Kasamatsu growled while removing a hello kitty underwear from his head

...

_Flashback _

_Momoi closed the door and leaned into it. She looked around making sure the rooftop is empty before sinking into the ground. She needs air and space after her encounter not only with Aomine but also Akashi and the rest of the Miracles, especially Akashi._

_She closed her eyes feeling the cool air and shivered slightly, slightly regretted not wearing something with long sleeves._

_The sound of phone ringing alerted her and she looked at her own cellphone but there is no incoming calls or messages. She stood up and looked around the roof trying to find the source of the ringtone and saw someone on her left._

"_Shigehiro Ogiwara" she said_

_Ogiwara turned back and saw her in surprise. In his hand is a ringing cell phone and he's standing at the top of the railing._

"_What are you doing here?" he asked. Momoi stared at his face and noticed how his face changed from the easygoing cheerful guy she saw earlier before the match started into someone who lost everything in his life._

"_Ogiwara" _

_He stared at her face and knows that she's trying to stop what he planned to do._

"_Don't come any closer" he warned as she moved towards him. She stopped far enough to give him space to step down from the railing but close enough that if she reached out her hand, she can touch him._

"_You've lost one match" she said "There are teams that lost matches over and over again. It's not the end of your life."_

"_THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY!" Ogiwara shouted with tears falling down from his eyes and looked at the ground below_

"_Step down from there!" Momoi warned "Let's talk from here"_

"_I recognized you now" he said "You're the coach of the Generation of Miracles"_

"_Not anymore" she murmured loud enough for him to hear_

"_But you made them the player they are now" he stated "You created those monsters!"_

"_They're not monsters! They're-"_

"_YOU'RE THE BIGGEST MONSTER OF ALL!" he shouted "Congratulations, for creating strong players but you destroyed the humanity within them"_

_Momoi stiffened after hearing that_

"_You can't control them anymore now! No one can! What kind of coach are you if you can't control your team?! This is all your fault!" he accused_

"_Ogiwara, get off the railing now" Momoi reasoned _

"_Why do you care so much?" he asked bitterly "Isn't this what you wanted?"_

"_I WANTED TO CREATE A STRONG TEAM!" she screamed "BUT I DIDN'T WANT PLAYERS TO GIVE UP BASKETBALL BECAUSE OF US!"_

"_What's the point? We'll never be as good as you and them" he said mockingly "I can accept normal defeat but this! That eleven point...WE'VE BEEN PLAYED ALL ALONG!"_

"_Ogiwara!" she said in alarm when he becomes wobbly from standing in the railing and shouting at her at the same time_

"_You should've hear what they said about us" he said and started choking when his tears fall more "We're nothing to them!"_

"_You think you're the only one going through things from them!" she said angrily "What about me? They also said some pretty nasty things about me as well! You're not the only one going through these things! Stop being childish and get off that railing!"_

_He looked at her in surprise_

"_It's not too late for you to stop them" he said _

_She looked at him in surprise _

"_I-I can't. I really can't, I don't know how-"_

"_I thought you're going to say that" He turned his head looking at the ground below. Just as he's about to jump, she said softly_

"_Think about Kuroko, he'll be crushed if you do this"_

_He didn't say anything for a while making Momoi think that he's changing his mind. He started removing his wristbands and throw it towards her. She caught it easily and looked at him questioningly._

"_I hope that after this, you'll do whatever it takes so that they won't do it to any other teams anymore and someday they'll feel the pain of losing" Ogiwara said lastly and looked at the sky "Give him those wristbands and tell him I'm sorry" _

"_NO!" Momoi shouted just as Ogiwara jumped down from the railing. She ran and looked down towards the ground showing a body lying in a pool of blood. Momoi stand frozen in place while a lady screamed and a crowd suddenly formed around the body._

_Her fingers is shaking and she's clenching the railing tightly. _

"_CALL THE POLICE" _

_That was when she snapped awake and ran towards the door, going down the stairs and ran all the way towards her house. She packed all her clothes and belonging which wasn't that much, left her house an hour later and made a call to someone._

"_Alex" she said breathlessly "I need your help"_

_Flashback ended_

"He wanted you to have those wristbands" she said. She told him everything except the reason why she ran away from the police and to testify for Ogiwara's suicide. She wasn't ready to disclose the information to him yet.

"Why?" Kuroko asked "Why hiding all these times? Why giving this to me now? Why did you ran away from the police? You're hiding something, please Momoi"

"I'm sorry Kuroko" she apologized and looked at him with regret in her face "Not now, I-I'm not ready to tell you yet"

She looked at the clock showing 12:34

"It's already late, you can stay here for the night" she said

"I'll be heading back" he said stiffly and stand up going towards the door and exited the apartment all by himself.

She buried her face in her hands

...

Riko stared at the screen and sometimes fast forward the video. Even though the clock shows 1:14, she still keep trying to get a good angle at Teiko's bench. She hit the pause button when she spotted it. Pressing the zoom button until it shows her someone's face.

'It's her but at the same time it's not her' Riko stared at the brunette in the screen. This match is their final match in second year. 'The face and hair is similar and yet different'

She continued looking at the screen unaware that her father is behind her and saw the screen as well. He quietly head into the garden through her back door and dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Katsunori, I heard your team won against Seirin yesterday" Kagetora said

"Yeah, why?" Katsunori asked

"Next time in a match against Seirin, I need you to keep an eye out for someone" Kagetora said

"Eeh? Who? Why?"

"She's here and she just spectated Nakatani's match the other day" Kagetora said

"The younger one?" Katsunori asked

"Only she can come up with something like this" Kagetora said

"Who else knows about this?"

"So far, only me, you and Nakatani"

"We should warn the others, especially-"

"Masako? Yeah, I know"

Kagetora continued talking with his former teammate unaware that the back door slightly opened earlier and someone is looking at him through the small opening.

"So it is you" Riko murmured "Satsuki"

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Reviews pls!


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